Tactics
by Yami Lobo Schwarz
Summary: A songfic about Kaoru and Kenshin. It's two years since they killed Shishio and old memories die hard. KenKao SanoMeg. Read and review or I won't update.
1. Kidnapped!

Ha! I will finally start the fanfic I have been pondering for so long!  
  
Kenshin: Oro?  
  
YLS: whacks Kenshin on the head with sakabatô Stupid! I'm doing a fanfic about you! Now…  
  
All: TO THE FANFICMOBILE!  
  
YLS: Hurry up, Oniichan  
  
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Chapter 1: Kidnapped  
  
_When I first saw you lookin' at me,   
  
The gleam in your eyes made my heart skip a beat…_  
  
The scent of sakura blossoms was as heavy in the air as the petals themselves. Springtime in the Kamiya dojo was flowing. The sounds of two bokutô hitting each other echoed throughout the school. Yahiko Myôjin raised his wooden sword in defense just as Kaoru Kamiya rained a flurry of blows down upon him. Megumi Takani applauded them and smiled at Sanosuke Sagara. He returned it with a gentle smirk and drew the doctor into his arms. The two snuggled together; all the while watching Kaoru and Yahiko spar. Kaoru stopped attacking the youth. "You're getting better, Yahiko."  
  
"Ah gee, Kaoru-YEOW!"  
  
The swordswoman thumped him on the head. "Never let your guard down Yahiko. Honestly, even after facing Shishio, you haven't gotten it through your head that you can't let it down-Get a room you two!" A vein throbbed as she stared at the couple that was making out. They stopped and stared at Kaoru. Megumi giggled. "Alright, raccoon-girl, we'll leave." He adopted the nickname that Megumi had given to her. Sanosuke stood up, picked up his wife, and attempted to leave the room. Obviously, Kaoru had spent some time practicing with Kenshin; she rushed in front of the former mercenary and thumped him as well. "Good, Broom-head! And while you're at it- MOVE OUT!! I SWEAR, YOU CAN'T JUST STAY HERE AND FREELOAD WHILE YOUR SO-CALLED 'WIFE' HAS HER OWN HOUSE SO-"  
  
"It is very rude to yell at visitors, Miss Kaoru." Kenshin Himura open the sliding door behind her. She turned around to voice her opinion but became face to face with puppy dog eyes and a warm smile. The swordswoman knew that she couldn't yell at Kenshin now so she just returned it. "How's lunch going?" She asked.  
  
"Well, the yakisoba is done and the rice balls are-" He paused and sniffed the air, "-BURNING!!"  
  
The former Hitôkiri Battôsai ran out of the training room with his eyes popping out. Everyone but Kaoru sweatdropped and left the room.  
  
She was sure everyone else was out of hearing range. "Kenshin…" She thought out loud, "why is it that every time I see you, my heart aches?"  
  
She sighed then heard Kenshin's voice cry out "LUNCH'S READY MISS KAORU!!"  
  
Kamiya padded out of the room with a depressed look on her face. She stopped when she heard the sound of someone else's footsteps. She raised her bokutô and said "Who's there?!"  
  
Nothing answered her. She backed into a pole and looked around warily. Fear enveloped her and quickened her breathing. Kaoru's heart raced when she heard the wind swish. A hand pressed against her mouth. The smell of drugs reached her nose and she became woozy. "K-Kenshin…" The Flower of Martial Arts passed out. 


	2. My Sorrow

Chapter 2: Do Something About You're Fear!  
  
_My body felt nervous and my heart began to pound  
  
As this test of love that brought me to my knees…_  
  
Cries of "Kaoru!" "Raccoon-girl!" and "Miss Kaoru" could be heard from the dojo. Although they all were worried about the young woman, nobody was more fearful than Kenshin. When he and Sanosuke met while searching for her, Sano stopped him. "Hey, Kenshin, what's goin' on? I've never seen you like this."  
  
"I'm fine Sano, don't worry about me." He attempted to smile brightly but it was grim.  
  
"No you're not. I know that you're concerned about the lives of everyone you meet but this is different; You're scared so admit it."  
  
"I have nothing to fear; I'm sure Miss Kaoru is fine."  
  
Sagara was not convinced. "That's the biggest lie you've ever told. What are you scared of Kenshin?" Battôsai's angry stare plastered itself on his face. "I'm not scared."  
  
Sanosuke smirked. "Yes you are. Admit it, Hitôkiri Battôsai-"  
  
He was cut off by the sharp end of a sakabatô pressed against his neck. He stared at Kenshin in fear. The look of the killer left Kenshin and all that was left was sorrow. "I'm sorry that I acted like that…I-I was overcome-"  
  
"By pain. I understand-UGH!"  
  
"What's wrong?!"  
  
"There-on that pillar-a note!"  
  
The two sped to the pillar where a piece of parchment pinned by a dagger. They read over it several times before going into shock. Sanosuke slumped onto the ground, his eyes wide and stunned. Kenshin ripped the note off of the pole, clenched it tightly in his fist and shouted "NOOOOOOO!!"  
  
In a forest outside of town, the assistant master of Kamiya-Kasshin ryu was awakening. "What-?where am I?"  
  
"You are right where we want you!" Cold voices answered in unison. She recognized them from somewhere but she couldn't remember. The drug had made her uncoordinated so she couldn't run. "Who are you people?!"  
  
"We are the enemies of the Hitôkiri Battôsai! We have come back from Hell to bring upon him the taste of our revenge!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes. Soon enough, the blood of the legendary manslayer will be spilled. And you will be the one that watches as he suffers oh so painfully because you got captured!"  
  
She heard footsteps as the past enemies that Kenshin had beat left her. Kaoru slumped onto the ground and cried. "Kenshin, Sanosuke, Aoshi, Saito, Yahiko…anybody! Please let this nightmare end…"  
  
Kenshin's hand would not stop shaking in sorrow and fury. Megumi and Yahiko had ran to them when they heard Kenshin outcry. "What does it say, Sir Ken?" Megumi asked quietly.  
  
The ex-manslayer's voice wavered. "W-we, the former…o-opponents of Hi-Himura K-Kenshin-oh curse it, Sano, you read it. I-I can not…"  
  
Sagara nodded and read the rest to them. " Well to sum it up, all of the guys who had their butts kicked by Kenshin have kidnapped Kaoru and won't give her back until he meets them for a final showdown-and if we come…they'll kill her-"  
  
"Oh no…" Megumi's eyes welled up with tears.  
  
"Kaoru-" Yahiko's speech cracked.  
  
Sanosuke pressed his wife's face into his gi, and turned to Kenshin. "You've got to go save her. We can't go. They'll just kill her if we try to help you-"  
  
"No Sano…" Kenshin muttered, "I can't do it- I can't-can't do it…"  
  
Megumi slapped Kenshin across the face. "Raccoon-girl isn't perfect, we all know that, but there is one thing she has been for you throughout the years-she has been there! I remember her telling me about all of your battles and it seems that in almost every single one, Kaoru has been there rooting you on or helping.  
  
"I had to waste my time and energy to convince that girl to see you before you faced Shishio-a LOT of time and energy. If you don't go save her, I don't know what we'll do to you but it will be nothing CLOSE to the pain you will inflict on yourself. Now get your butt out there and do something about your fear!"  
  
Kenshin stood there with his head hanging for a while. Then he looked Megumi straight in the eye and said "Thank you, Miss Megumi. I will leave now."  
  
The sound of sandals trudging away from Sano, Megumi, and Yahiko could be heard. "Hey Sano, he's got that look in his eye again." Yahiko warned.  
  
"I know." Sano nodded grimly, "But there's nothing we can do now but wait and hope that he'll come back with Kaoru-"  
  
"And not in a casket." Megumi hugged him, "I truly hope that." 


	3. Eyes are the Windows to the Soul

Sorry if I mess up on the name of Kenshin's ultimate attack -  
  
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Chapter 3: Eyes are the Window to the Soul  
  
_My body felt nervous and my heart began to pound  
  
As this test of love that brought me to my knees…  
_  
The moon was high and bloated when Kenshin arrived at his destination. He glanced around warily until he heard a feminine voice cry out "Kenshin!"  
  
His eyebrows furrowed in concern as his rushed to the source of the voice. "Miss Kaoru! Miss Kaoru, where are you!?"  
  
"Kenshin!" Was the reply. Himura caught himself and shouted his statement again. Yet again, the voice cried out "Kenshin!"  
  
He knew that he was being deceived. "Stop trying to mimic Miss Kaoru and show me where she is!"  
  
Many voices laughed scornfully at once. They sent shivers down his spine because he knew which belonged to what person. "Come out and face me like REAL men!!"  
  
"Real men! Ha! Ahahahahahaha!" The voices mocked him. He looked around with a passion. "Where is Miss Kaoru!?"  
  
"Right…HERE!!" The body of Kaoru Kamiya was thrown into Kenshin's chest. A gash was dripping over her left eye and her hands and feet were bound with thick cords. He gritted his teeth in anger and stared down at Kaoru. She opened her eyes weakly. "Kenshin…get out of here…they're going to kill you K-" She coughed up blood.  
  
"Miss Kaoru, I would prefer to die than live out my days knowing that I could have saved you tonight-"  
  
"AND IF YOU DIE I-I'LL KILL MYSELF-is there no other way out of this?"  
  
Kenshin wiped the blood on her forehead and allowed her to snuggle into his outer kimono. "Be safe Kenshin."  
  
He nodded, unbounded her arms and legs, then laid her down against a tree. "_Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu: Amakakaryu-nohiro-meki_!!"  
  
Kenshin repeated his ultimate attack over and over until the bloodcurdling screams of the fallen enemies stopped. The murderous look came into his eyes as he licked his blade. He laughed maniacally and turned to Kaoru. Raising the sharp end of his blade above his head, Kenshin leered at her with a maddened expression on his face. She shut her eyes as she waited for the deathblow her beloved friend was about to deal her.  
  
Kaoru heard the sound of metal being dropped onto the grass and opened her eyes. Kenshin was still looming above her but his eyes were filled with tears. He dropped to his knees and buried his face in the young woman's hair. Kaoru hugged him tightly and the two seemed locked in a place where no time passed. 


	4. My Confession

This is gonna be really short coz I'm saving the _real_ romance scene for next chap, kay? And if I ever make a mistake on the lyrics or something, review or something, kay? Peace!  
  
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Chapter 4: It's My Confession  
  
_Feelin' above fills the space from you to me  
  
The life that I felt made me shake, made me weak…_  
  
"Kenshin…" Kaoru murmured.  
  
"No," Kenshin said, "I can not redeem myself. I-I _killed_ them-killed them all-"  
  
"Do you think I care!? They were evil; they deserved to _die_!"  
  
Battôsai's voice was muffled. "It is not right for you to sound so blood thirsty."  
  
"As it is wrong for Sano and Megumi to be together. Their age difference is so wide!"  
  
"But the tie is strong." He said bitterly.  
  
The swordswoman pulled his face back and looked into his eyes. "You want a tie like that. I can see it."  
  
Kenshin trembled as Kaoru dug herself into the folds of his inner kimono. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek against his chest.  
  
The need that was radiating from her body seemed to be infecting him. He slid his arms into his kimono and embraced Kaoru. She closed her eyes and let her emotions fly…  
  
Back at the dojo, Sanosuke entered Megumi's room. "So where's the runt off to?"  
  
She smiled. "He's gone to visit a _lady friend_."  
  
"Let me guess, Subame? He's been out with her for a while. You think maybe she's his…?" He held up his pinky finger.  
  
Megumi's eyes crossed and she blushed. "NO! NO! NO! NO! NO AND NO!! He's not old enough yet!!  
  
Sano's eyes shined with slyness. Megumi smiled and kissed her husband. "My what a day it has been. Do you think Sir Ken has gotten raccoon-girl yet?"  
  
"I'm sure of it. There's nothin' that would stop 'im. Now you wanted to see me for somethin'."  
  
"Of course." They kissed again but deeper. The room spun and all was perfect in their world… 


	5. Little Interlude 1

Okay dudes, little interlude coz I'm a little bored of the drama (just a little) I gonna do a little skit thing with the characters of Rurouni Kenshin and some other anime. START!! BTW, I'm just gonna add chibi to their names the first time the appear so that you get the point #  
  
Chibi Kenshin walks with Chibi Kaoru and Chibi Sano down a dirt path. They look left, they look right, but they don't look up. Four laughs echo through the woods. Then, Chibi Hiei, Chibi Vegeta, Chibi Sesshie, and Chibi Nightmare hop down and draw their weapons. Nightmare has an oar, Hiei has a bokutô, Sesshie has a mini version of Tokijin, and Vegeta has a baseball bat.  
  
Sano: …  
  
Kenshin: Oro?  
  
Kaoru: What's goin' on!? XD  
  
Nightmare: Ha! Give me your bowls!  
  
Kenshin: Cap'n Crunch or Fruit Loops?  
  
Nightmare: Fruit Loops would be fine-  
  
Hiei: You're supposed to ask for 'souls' not 'bowls' you dumbass.  
  
Nightmare: pouts Look who's talking, mofo.  
  
Hiei: Bitch.  
  
Nightmare: You wear dresses and hang around in bars!  
  
Hiei: You're mother was a cross dresser!  
  
Nightmare: Bastard  
  
Hiei: Fruitcake-  
  
Sesshie: Oh gawd, he said the word.  
  
Hiei: What word? 'Fruitcake'  
  
Sesshie: He said it again!  
  
Nightmare: What word?  
  
Sesshie: The word that you're not supposed to say!  
  
Vegeta: Would that word happen to be fruitcake?  
  
Sesshie: YOU JUST SAID THE WORD!!!! .  
  
Kenshin: Oro?  
  
Sano: What's a fruitcake? And why do you keep saying 'Oro?'  
  
Sesshie: YOU MORTALS SAID IT TOO MANY TIMES!!!!!  
  
All but Sesshie and Kaoru: What? 'Fruitcake' ?  
  
Kaoru: Oh dear.  
  
YLS pops out of nowhere with a chainsaw, red eyes, dagger teeth, and an insane grin  
  
YLS: WHO CALLED ME A FRUITCAKE!?!?!?  
  
Sesshie: You mortal-human-wench-thing.  
  
Kaoru: What do you want immortal-demonic-dog-thing?  
  
Sesshie: That was your cue to leave.  
  
Kaoru: Oh. Okay. drags Kenshin away  
  
YLS: I REFUSE TO BE CALLED A FRUITCAKE!!!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!! slices everyone but Sesshie to bits  
  
Sesshie: -- …I'm goin' out to buy saké. Wanna come?  
  
YLS: Sure -  
  
SesshouYasha: Hey wait for me!!  
  
YLS: Where have you been?  
  
sees flames, darkness and (this especially) chainsaw then sweatdrops  
  
SesshouYasha: Looking for saké money?  
  
YLS: …good enough   
  
everyone leaves, buys saké, and gets drunk  
  
YLS: # Ooh…that's good stuff…  
  
SesshouYasha: belch dies  
  
YLS and Sesshie stare at corpse then at each other.  
  
Sesshie: I refuse to allow you to eat a filthy dirty hanyou. It's unsanitary and very wrong!  
  
YLS: whining At least let me chop her to bits!  
  
Sesshie: Why don't we go see if those two mortals want to have a drinking contest…I believe they are called… Cow-poo and Ken's-hen-  
  
YLS: KAORU AND KENSHIN! YAAY! PARTY! SAKÉ PARTY!  
  
At that moment, Kenshin and Kaoru walk into the bar  
  
YLS: Yay! Come on, we're having a saké party!  
  
Kenshin: Oro?  
  
Sesshie grabs a bottle of the good stuff and shoves it down Kenshin's throat. He turns to do the same to Kaoru but she snatches it from him and chugs it.  
  
Then out of nowhere, two spaceship thingies come down.  
  
Chibi Spike: I don't even know why we're here grumble  
  
Chibi Faye: Free wine you idiot!  
  
So everyone has a party, gets drunk, has a hangover the next day and goes on with their merry lives!  
  
THE END!!!! 


	6. Dreamingof You?

Again, a short chapter. Next is the real action grins evilly and takes out chainsaw Oh, and don't flame me for stealing this one thing from PSOH; it's not a good reason. I've gotta go saw Kikyo in half now…  
  
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Chapter 5: Dreaming  
  
I'm under your spell and there's nothin' I can do  
  
As the day turns into night, I am for you…  
  
Kenshin looked up at the sky. The stars were so full it seemed as if they were fit to explode at any second. "M-Kaoru…I must tell you that-ah." He gazed down upon her lovingly. She had fallen asleep because of the excitement of that day. The ruroni smiled and hoisted her up gently. He turned in the direction of the Kamiya dojo. He only took a few steps before Kaoru stirred. "No…not there; not to the place where they are…" She was barely audible.  
  
Kenshin nodded. "Of course."  
  
He circled around the forest and went to the mansion where Aoshi Shinamori lived. He pressed the button on the gate and waited patiently. Kenshin smiled with embarrassment when Aoshi came out with Hajime Saitô. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Hajime said coldly.  
  
Aoshi smirked. "It seems that Battôsai has come to beg for something."  
  
Kenshin shook his head and blushed. "Miss Kaoru was kid-"  
  
He shivered and adjusted the assistant master in his arms. Hajime nodded to the former yakuza boss. "I believe we should discuss this inside. The spring days are warm but the nights are colder than Saitô's blood."  
  
Hajime frowned at this comment and padded back into the mansion. Aoshi half-smiled at the ruroni and unlocked the gate. "Hurry up before your body becomes infested with evil spirits."  
  
Saitô's eyes widened. "Shishio came back!? Makoto Shishio!?"  
  
Kenshin nodded. "He and some of the other enemies we have faced had been incarnated into one body."  
  
Aoshi leered at the room behind Kenshin. "Something is in the girl's room."  
  
The three swordsmen settled down and listened closely. "No…no…don't hurt him…not Yahiko-"  
  
Aoshi snorted and Saitô had to screw up his face to keep himself from laughing. "Oro?" Kenshin said.  
  
He tiptoed into one of Aoshi's many guest rooms. Kaoru was tossing and turning. She muttered things that were beyond belief. Mainly, it was about someone or something trying to slay everyone: Aoshi, Saitô, Yahiko, Megumi, and Sanosuke. Though, for some strange reason, his name wasn't mentioned even once; until…  
  
"Get away from them you bloody murderer-" Kaoru screamed, "-HITÔKIRI BATTÔSAI!!"  
  
Kenshin hung his head in shame. "Gomen nasaii, Kaoru-dono…Oro?"  
  
The assistant master stopped moving and suddenly became calm. "Arigatô, Kenshin."  
  
What is she thanking me for? The ruroni wondered.  
  
"Thank you for defeating Battôsai…"  
  
Aoshi put his hand on Kenshin's shoulder. "She truly has feelings for you, Battôsai-"  
  
"Miss Kaoru does not have feelings for Battôsai the Manslayer."  
  
"Of course…Himura; They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. Obviously you have opened the windows of this girl's."  
  
Kenshin felt Aoshi leave the room. He sighed and slid into the bed. He did something he hadn't done since the end of the war (-). "Kuso… these Western beds are impossible to sleep on!"  
  
Kaoru awakened. "Kenshin!"  
  
"Oro?"  
  
She smiled warmly and threw the blanket over him. "They aren't so bad."  
  
Kaoru wrapped her arms around him and he instantly fell asleep. 


End file.
